Love Her Not
by Lucieshalo
Summary: Updated: Mostly set in radio head POV - Ryoma and Sakuno's separate views on love. Final chapter uploaded!
1. Love Her Not

Blanket Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own Prince of Tennis :( I just enjoy torturing it's characters from time to time…

This story is written in a radio-head POV, basically Ryoma's thoughts during a big match after Sakuno confronts Ryoma about his feelings for her. Will follow with Sakuno's POV after her confession. The conclusion is now up!

Love Her Not

_15-Love_

All his life he had heard this phrase. And never once in all those years had he attributed any meaning to the later half of the expression as anything other than zero, zilch, nothing, nadda, game over, you lose. Even now, with what could be his immediate and distant future hanging in the balance, did he ascribe any certain relevance to that suddenly ambiguous four letter word. What was so simple yesterday, suddenly seemed a world away.

_Do you love me?_

For the life of him, he could not get that phrase out of his head. What was that supposed to mean? The real question should have been, what is love? Did he care for her? Sure, he wouldn't have wasted his time critiquing her shoddy tennis skills if he didn't care. Wouldn't have bothered eating the lunches she always prepared for him if he didn't hold some measure of compassion for the clumsy pig-tailed girl.

_Do I love her?_

He certainly felt a measure of attachment for her. He'd just grown used to her he supposed, she was always around; her and her obnoxious friend whose name he'd never cared to remember. Hiding in the background and blushing whenever he looked her way. He remembered, while straining to hear between the stuttered mumblings that seemed to become her speech whenever she spoke to him, that he preferred her soft dulcet tones to that of her loud and abrasive friend's.

_Do I love her?_

He had to admit, though a bit grudgingly on his behalf, that he really did appreciate the support she garnered him at every tennis match she would attend; which seemed to be quite a few. He'd come to recognize the influence her presence had on his game, though it had only seemed to take a real effect in the last couple of years.

There were certain superstitions pro tennis players subscribed to in the event of a big match. Using a certain grip tape, or wearing a certain pair of socks, something that always seemed to remain constant for winning matches. It had taken him about a year to admit, if even to himself, that she was his. Her presence calmed him, he could see that glowing smile in the stands that shown only for him, regardless if he won or lost, and be able to push that much further for the win. If only to receive that radiant smile face to face, accompanied by an even brighter flush and a stuttering congrats.

_Do I love her?_

He'd never thought twice about the emotions she stirred within him, never bothered giving them a name. With time he had come to expect certain reactions his body would have to certain actions she would make. Her smile was the simplest but also the most effective way to make his stomach turn, and not in an entirely unpleasant way. The way she would puff up and scrunch her face at him whenever he made comments about her hair being to long, though she refused to cut it. He'd never tell her, but he liked it better long anyway.

He supposed he could give this emotion the name of affection. He looked out for her, and she supported him. Imagine that? Suppose pillars of support need their own supports sometimes. She never complained about his tennis, never told him she'd rather he'd stay when he left to prepare for a match. She viewed their limited time spent together as precious, not to be interrupted by petty wants and useless grievances.

_Do I love her?_

He held a grudging respect for her complete and total devotion to him and his dreams. He could tell, she didn't hold much care for tennis herself, hadn't even seen a match before she met him. He was the one who had inspired her to start playing, he doubted it would really matter to her if he suddenly quit. As long as it was something he wanted to do, she would support him.

Unlike the other fan girls that flocked for his attention, she liked him for him, not his tennis. Perhaps that was the reason she was the one he would always look to for comfort and advice. Not necessarily about tennis, she couldn't tell him one way or another in that department anyway, it was the other parts of his life that he concerned her with. And she would shoulder the burden with the utmost consideration, leaving him at a loss to remember what it was he had come to her for in the first place.

_Do I love her?_

He certainly desired for her. He could not count the scandalous rendezvous, and heated embraces they had found themselves privy to since they hit high school. It had started out so innocent, neither quite as sure as the other of what was supposed to happen, yet enjoying the learning experience immensely. He'd come to find out that all of the things he had criticized her for in middle school, were the things that he liked about her the most.

The way her tremulous but curvy hips fit perfectly in his hands, the milky soft skin of her shapely legs as he brushed his fingertips across her thigh in the barest caress that always left her blushing. The long silky locks of chestnut brown that fanned out down her back in long waves when let out of their tight braids. His favorite attribute though had to be her lips, soft and full and utterly kissable in their slightly pink bow shaped splendor. He could kiss her for hours and never get enough, which he tested wherever and whenever he got the chance.

_Do I love her?_

Honestly, he didn't know. Of all of his feelings for her, his experiences, his familiarity with her, he never stopped to question what that was. Why he felt what he did when he was with her, why all of his thoughts seemed to accumulate on her whenever he was feeling down or depressed to lift him out of his stupor. He'd always assumed it was friendship, a deep seated trust and understanding that existed between them. He had never given much thought to love. It was an inanimate word, as unimportant a word as water, or breeze. Love meant absolutely nothing to him, never had, never would.

So did he love her? The answer was no. He didn't love her, it was so much more than that. He needed her, adored her, respected her, trusted her, desired her, cared for her, and all of the above. Though nothing so important as she was his. His support, his confidant, his friend. Love was just a word in the midst of his sentiment for her.

If he had to distinguish the feeling amidst everything he had ever experienced in his life, he would almost liken it to winning. The feeling of gratification and accomplishment you get after you've achieved a goal. The rush of adrenaline and pride accompanied by a sense of longing for that feeling never to end. If he likened love to winning, it was a sure shot yes, but love had never been a winning statement to Echizen Ryoma, who'd had tennis drilled into his skull since he was big enough to swing a racquet. He had no answer to her question; not one easily put into words at least. Only the awareness of his feelings for her and the hope that he would someday be able to show her just exactly what she meant to him.

_Game set and match to Echizen Ryoma, six games to love!_

For now though, he would keep winning. He would prolong this feeling for as long as he could. Then perhaps when the rush of success and victory wore off he would finally be able to voice his feelings for her. Until then, he would continue to show her the only way he knew how, hoping she would understand. Love is not what is important, it's the point that counts.

~Lucie


	2. Love Him So

Here it is, ask and you shall receive. Part two; Sakuno's POV on her feelings for the emotionally stunted tennis nut, Echizen Ryoma. I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I did writing it! And without any further ado, enjoy!

Love Him So

_Do you love me?_

What in the world had possessed her to ask him that of all things? She could have kicked herself if she hadn't been wrapped up so comfortably in his arms at the time. Perhaps that was why she had let that sordid little utterance leave her lips. Whenever he was around her mind seemed to turn into this great pile of mush and it appeared that she would either begin to stutter profusely, or say things she would otherwise keep locked in the deepest drawer in the smallest file cabinet in the back of her mind to be lost and forgotten forever. Which was what she was wishing she could do with herself right now.

He hadn't answered her, though she really hadn't expected him to. She supposed the small part of her that used to be the gawking fangirl waving giant signs with his face on them and wearing stupid cheerleading uniforms to his tennis matches had hoped that he would at least say something. Sadly, no, he hadn't even opened his eyes, though she knew he was awake. Six years of memorizing a persons breathing patterns you learn to tell the difference.

In fact he showed absolutely no signs of even having heard her and she let out a tiny sigh she told herself was for relief, yet ended up sounding a bit more like disappointment. She'd learned over the years not to expect anything from the prodigy, that way she could be pleasantly surprised whenever he did do something special; the occasions of which she could count on one hand and then some. Which was why she was not disturbed when he suddenly loosened his hold on her and righted himself under the cherry blossom tree that still stood on the Seigaku school grounds, and calmly walked away.

She cursed herself for disrupting his peace. She'd told herself long ago that she would keep her own issues to herself and not bother him with her feelings when they were together those few times a week. He always came to her for comfort and solace after a long match and she would take his stress and his worries without a second thought. He handled so much responsibility for someone his age, anything she could do to lessen the burden she would. Though it seemed now she had only added to it.

The soft tension in his shoulders, the quickened step as he walked away, his hands shoved tightly in his pockets; all indicators of stress for Echizen Ryoma. He was thinking about it at least, which sparked a glimmer of hope in Sakuno. If her statement mattered enough to bother him this much, perhaps he did feel something for her after all. Usually whenever she would say something he considered ridiculous or unimportant, he would respond with the condescending question of why she was being so talkative, to which she would respond with an exasperated sigh and a shake of her head.

Six years ago such behavior would have sent her crying the other direction. Now after countless snide remarks about her tennis skills and sarcastic snips toward her appearance, not to mention his muttered annoyances about her airheadedness, had toughened her skin over the years. She had come to expect a measure of apathetic resolve from the youngest Echizen. It seemed to be a coping mechanism he had developed to thwart his conniving father, who without fail, attempted to dissuade his son at every turn.

She would admit that it was one of the things she admired about him. His ability to keep his cool in the most desperate of situations. Though it was also the thing that irritated her the most. He almost never showed any kind of emotion around anyone besides an overwhelming amount of arrogance and a certain level of annoyance towards his sempai's teasing, which had let up considerably after they left Seigaku.

Now it was only her and Ryoma; she had stopped tagging the –kun on the end of his name when they hit high school, everyone else had gone their separate ways. Even Tomoka who was now an official reporter for Modern Home Living. Every now and then they would see Kachiro, who helped out with his dad at the tennis club. They would invite Ryoma to give presentations to the younger players and Sakuno would always tag along to watch and offer refreshments. Regular members at the club often liked to tease them by telling them they were such a cute couple and asking when they planned on getting married. They were only ever glorified by a cold shoulder as the tennis star walked away, leaving Sakuno to parry their remarks.

She had to admit though, he had a way with kids; it was the adults he had problems with. If he ever quit playing tennis, for whatever reason, she had no doubts that he would become a coach. He had that natural charisma of a born player that drew people to follow him, much like she herself had during their middle school years.

She had given up on tennis when they hit high school, admitting that she really had no personal interest in the sport. Ryoma liked to tease her in saying that she had no talent anyway which was usually followed by some comment or another about her hair to which she would huff and reply that hair had nothing to do with tennis. Instead, she had become Ryoma's pillar of support. Attending every game, and making sure they celebrated, some way or another after every victory, even after some losses.

They seemed to always end up at Kawamura Sushi, which Takashi had taken over after middle school. He was always more than happy to give them the best table, with all you could eat sushi that they just couldn't refuse. Call it a force of habit if you will, but they just couldn't bring themselves to go anywhere else. She remembered one night when Taka-san's father had taken ill and they had to close the shop, Sakuno herself had missed Ryoma's game due to an unscheduled derailment at the train station. She'd run all the way to the courts only to find that one of the members of Ryoma's high school tennis team had been on the train and they'd had to forfeit the match.

The boy had been fortunate enough to walk away from the incident with only minor injuries and so they had decided to celebrate. Well, she decided and he didn't protest so she assumed that he was not entirely against the idea. They'd walked for an hour trying to decide where to go in place of Kawamura's when they'd found themselves standing in front of Haritatsu's. The old man had been more than happy to accept them in and they'd spent the whole night talking and watching old tennis video's of the grand slam tournaments.

It had reminded her of their first almost date, though she doubted that Ryoma would remember something so insignificant as that, but it happened to be one of her most precious memories. She had found a certain level of familiarity with him that day in the tennis courts, hitting the ball back and forth over the net. He'd told her then that she had zero talent at tennis and she had to agree. She only played so that she might be able to understand him better. She'd quit when she realized that it didn't really matter whether or not she played tennis, as long as she understood why he did, and was able to help him on his way to accomplishing his dreams.

She stayed by his side because he wanted her there. If he didn't he would have told her to go a long time ago. She'd seen it too many times with his fangirls. They would flock to him with their made up faces and designer clothes and he would brush them off without a second glance, always coming back to her. Plain and ordinary Sakuno. But she had something those other girls didn't have. She may not be the richest or the prettiest girl in the world, but she was the only one who really understood him and accepted him for who he was. Tennis was just another part of the intricate balance that made up Echizen Ryoma, but that was not what made the man.

He had a wicked wit, one she'd had the privilege of being on the receiving end of numerous times. On the other hand, he could be quite compassionate, rising to the defense of those who could not otherwise defend themselves. He could be whiny and subjective when he didn't get something exactly how he wanted it, but also compliant and understanding when circumstances called for even judgment. He had a tendency to get needy at times when the attention was centered somewhere other than him, often going out of his way to upstage the competition. And then there were times he would want nothing to do with the rest of the world and their petty problems, appearing stand-offish and aloof, casting a longer shadow than the loneliest mountain.

All in all, Echizen Ryoma was a mess of contradictions, and no one knew better than her how much people seemed to pass over all of these attributes in favor of his abnormally gifted tennis skills. It was something she greatly appreciated the previous Seigaku tennis captain, Tezuka Kunimitsu for. While everyone was busy praising Ryoma's accomplishments, Tezuka went out of his way to showcase the boy's faults. If only so that he could recognize them himself and grow from them. He had been one of Ryoma's greatest inspirations during his time at Seigaku, whether he wanted to admit it or not, and she knew he was grateful for the guidance and understanding he received from the man.

Not only had it helped him grow as a tennis player, but as a person as well. He still harbored that overwhelming arrogance, but it was a bit more subdued to light provocation than egotism. He knew he still had a ways to grow himself, as a person and an athlete, though that didn't stop him from reminding others with his favorite little catchphrase that they were not quite there yet either. She had always adored that about him, he could act like such a kid at times, and the next moment he'd be more serious than a heart attack. She found it cute, which she'd made the mistake of telling him one time to which he replied that she was a girl and girls thought everything he did was cute.

Not that he paid any attention. He never did. Even when Tomoka would show up to his games with the latest banner and outrageous cheers he'd never spare her a second glance. Only when she would comment about **his** hair being too long, or that he was being a bit too cheeky to his elders did he ever respond, usually by telling her that she was being annoying and didn't know what she was talking about.

But he did care about her opinion, because even though he would whine and complain about it, he'd always change to fit her critique. She would never even think to ask him to change anything for her, and perhaps that was why he did it. She didn't tell him to. He did what he wanted no matter what anybody said, and if what he wanted happened to correspond with what someone else wanted-well that was just fine. She chalked it down to knowing him well enough to know what he wanted before he did, though he would never acknowledge that. He was too prideful to admit that he wasn't in complete control of his own life and she knew enough not to contest the matter. Let him believe what he wanted, she knew the truth.

And the simple truth was, Echizen Ryoma was Echizen Ryoma. Former Seigaku Tennis Captain, Two time Wimbledon Champion, three time U.S. Open Champion; But for all of his accomplishments, he was still just a man, and according to Sakuno, he seemed to forget that a bit more often than she would have liked. But when the rush of success and victory wore off, and he had fallen back down to the beautiful blue planet they called earth; he would come back to her. He always did. And that in itself meant more to her than any four letter word he could offer her.

So she would wait for him like she always did, welcome him back with open arms and a warm smile. Because in the end it didn't matter whether or not he ever told her that he loved her, she knew she loved him. And for one Ryuzaki Sakuno, that was enough.

As always, thank you all for your reviews; every person who takes the time to write their thoughts about this story are greatly appreciated. Check out the conclusion to this story in chapter three; True Love!

~Lucie


	3. True Love

A/N: Here it is! The final installment of the Love Her Not series. This started out as a one-shot deal that my random muse came up with out of the blue one day and now I can finally call it complete. A HUGE thank you goes out to everyone who reviewed! It's thanks to you that this story even made it past the first chapter. To everyone who favorited this story, I hope you enjoy the final chapter!

Lucie

...

_True Love_

_... _

"You're really going through with this?" Hal Peterson, two year running personal coach, mentor, and friend of professional tennis star, Echizen Ryoma asked in an exasperated tone directed at said prodigy; who was currently packing a bag on the bed of the hotel suite they had rented for the title match of the Grand Slam Tournament that had made Ryoma's career almost overnight.

"Yeah," the tennis star stated monotonously, not once deterring from the task at hand. It was to be announced at the press conference the next day that Echizen Ryoma was ending his career as a pro tennis player with his one and only Grand Slam title under his belt.

"I feel as your manager that I should advise you that this is not exactly the best career move," Hal stated. He leveled a serious glance at Ryoma as he briefly paused to grab the things sitting on the night stand and zip them up in the black duffel bag.

"I didn't win the tournament to become a pro tennis player," Ryoma stated matter of factly.

No indeed, Hal knew all too well the reason Ryoma had entered this tournament. It was one of the stipulations in his contract with the youngest Echizen. In the event of his first win of a Grand Slam title Hal's contract would become null and void and he would be entitled to half of Ryoma's share of the winnings and the stocks from any endorsement deals he had arranged during the course of his career. It was almost too good of a deal to pass up from a managers standpoint, though it didn't stop him from asking what the tennis star was going to do after he won said title. At the boy's reply, Hal had very nearly fallen out of his chair.

"_QUIT?_"

"_That's what I said." Ryoma calmly placed his tea cup back in the saucer on the desk in front of him. _

_Hal jumped up out of his chair. "Why! That's just ridiculous! Why in the world would you even enter the tournament if you were just going to quit after you win!"_

"_It's not about winning the tournament," Ryoma explained. Hal just huffed at the boy's apathetic attitude and slammed his hand down on his desk in exasperation, sending papers flying every which way and nearly knocking over his own tea cup. _

"_Then what is it about!" _

_Ryoma didn't answer verbally. His eyes unfocused slightly as if recalling an old memory before slowly lifting to the framed newspaper clipping hanging on Hal's wall. Hal did a double take between the tennis star and the newspaper clipping. A great whoosh of air left the manager's lungs as he flopped back down into his chair, his elbows coming to rest on the desk as his head fell into his hands._

_Hall shook his head,"I don't believe it. Even after all these years you still haven't given up. So, if you win this tournament, that'll be the end of it?"_

_Ryoma calmly took another sip of his tea as he leveled an unreadable stare at the old tennis manager over the rim of his cup. "He's agreed to come out of retirement for the title match."_

"_What will you do if you lose?" Hal asked with a hint of exasperation. A small smile touched the young Echizen's lips at the thought, a slight gleam catching his eye._

"_I guess then we'll know, who really is the strongest Echizen." _

He'd said the same thing to him then that he reiterated here and now, "Seriously, you and your dad should really think about some kind of counseling…"

True to his word, former pro tennis star Echizen 'Samurai' Nanjiro had come out of retirement just for the title match. Though it seemed even his skills and experience were not enough to slow down his son. The match in itself seemed to be so much of a farce it was almost too hard to watch, more a battle of wits than an actual tennis match. Hal himself, who had known the Echizen's for upwards of twenty years, had been privy to a few backyard matches between the two over the years. Even in his opinion, it seemed to be more a game for fun, than the most important title match of Ryoma's career. In the end, the results could not be denied. With a sweeping victory of six games to three, Ryoma had seated himself as one of the great Grand Slam Champions of the tennis world. And now…

"You've never really said what you plan to do now?" Ryoma paused in his task of packing his clothes into the duffle bag on the bed very briefly before continuing his task.

"That's obvious. I'm going home."

It had seemed quite obvious at the time what he was going to do after he beat his father. All that was left to do was move on. He had lined up a job at Seigaku teaching english and coaching tennis, taking over the duties in Ryuzaki Sumire's stead. The old tennis coach had finally decided to retire, leaving Ryoma to pick up her legacy of being the coach to lead Seigaku to win their first national championship. It seemed that he was more like his father then he would have liked to admit. He knew very early on what he wanted to do with his life, had probably always known. Tennis had always been, and always would be a big part of Ryoma's life; and now he would be able to share that dream with others. Not as an idol, but as a coach.

"Well, you took the long way around but it looks like you've accomplished your goal. You really are the strongest Echizen." Hal smirked, lifting his hat off of his head and tossing a lazy but appreciative glance at the champ.

"No."

Hal's smirk fell to be replaced by a puzzled frown. "No?"

Ryoma turned to Hal then, and the manager couldn't help the sudden leap in his chest at the look in the now twenty year old man's eyes. "The strongest Echizen has yet to come. All we are is a ripple in the pond, what will really make the biggest splash are the hopes and dreams of those we are able to inspire along the way. This is just the beginning; there's a whole ocean of possibilities out there Hal."

Yes, it was time to get out of the water. A new wave was coming, and he would be the wind driving it.

Hal let out a small chuckle. "I suppose this is what your dad really wanted in the end, huh? He quit playing tennis to coach you, and now you're quitting to coach the new generation. I can imagine how proud he'll be when he hears the news-"

Hal was cut off abruptly by the door to the hotel room as it quite suddenly swung in on it's hinges, banging off the bumper on the wall and slamming closed from the force. Ryoma's father barged into the room with a wild look in his eyes and grabbed his son by the front of his jacket.

Nanjiro yelled right in Ryoma's face, "Are You Crazy!"

Hal righted himself and picked his hat up off the floor, dusting it off on his pants. "Or not…"

"Stop yelling, we're in a hotel." Ryoma glared at his father, grabbing his father's hands and removing them from his jacket. However, Nanjiro was not going to let his son brush him off.

"Don't change the subject brat! How can you say you quit just like that!" Nanjiro couldn't believe it when he'd heard from his wife that their son was quitting tennis just as his career was getting off the ground. He wasn't going to watch his son throw his life away on some sort of whim. Ryoma responded by leveling an annoyed glare at his old man; one Nanjiro had been on the receiving end of numerous times over the years.

"So noisy… I didn't quit playing tennis, stupid dad."

Nanjiro blinked, "Eh?"

Hal chuckled from the doorway and enlightened the raging samurai. "It seems your son has decided to pursue a career in education."

The expressions on Nanjiro's face changed in rapid succession as Hal's statement sank in. Confusion gave way to realization just before reverting back to confusion as Nanjiro shook his head right before a sly grin passed over his features and he nodded.

Nanjiro turned and knocked Ryoma over the back of the head. "Why the hell didn't you say that in the first place?"

"You didn't give me a chance," Ryoma shot back, rubbing the back of his head.

Nanjiro crossed his arms and huffed, turning his nose up at his son as he headed for the door. Hal didn't miss the tell tale smirk on the man's face, nor the wink the samurai shot him as he passed, turning and pulling something from his sleeve as he opened the door.

"Here," Nanjiro called out, catching the attention of the young tennis star, "I thought you might want a memento from the match."

Ryoma's hand rose automatically to catch the object that his father ungraciously launched at his head. His hand closed around the intimately familiar object, bringing it down to get a better look at it. It was a tennis ball; an old and worn down one from the looks of it. Ryoma turned the ball over in his hand and felt cold dread sneak up his spine as he caught sight of the familiar black lettering. His eyes widened, panic steeled every nerve ending in his body as his breath caught in his throat. Ryoma raised his disbelieving gaze to his father's smug profile.

"You didn't-!" Ryoma exclaimed.

Nanjiro only laughed as he turned to walk out the door, waving to his son as he imparted a bit of fatherly advice. "You really should keep your things locked up better kid."

Hal trudged over to Ryoma, glancing down at the ball in his hand. "What's that? Looks really old."

Old would be a pretty good way to describe the worn down tennis ball sitting in Ryoma's hand. It had obviously been put through the ringer a few times and the felt had started to peel away from the ball. Though the black permanent marker had smudged over the years, the lettering was still clear and legible; a giant #1 staring up at him from the surface.

"It's a tennis ball." Hal winced at the obviousness of the man's statement.

"I can see that…. What's written on it?" He almost didn't have time to catch the ball as it came flying at his face, having been tossed over the shoulder of it's owner to the man.

"See for yourself." The faded black characters that littered the small tennis ball seemed to have been written in a hurry, and if Hal's understanding of Japanese handwriting was still on par, had been written by a girl. That in and of itself was odd as the only girls Hal had seen frequent the young prodigy's presence in the two years since he had become the man's manager were reporters vying for an interview with the reclusive star.

As far as he knew Ryoma had never had a girlfriend, even in high school he'd denied any close physical relationships with girls. According to Nanjiro, the granddaughter of his old tennis coach, some girl named Ryuzaki, was the only one he had ever seen in his son's presence outside of school; though Ryoma characteristically denied any such relationship with the girl.

Since he had left Japan to begin the Grand Slam tour, Ryoma had scarcely had time for anything except tennis. He never attended any of the parties or functions held by sponsors, and the few times he was dragged away from the courts by friends, namely Kevin Smith, he never stayed out for long. Staring down at the glaring black characters etched across the ragged ball in his hand, Hal wondered if the reason the man could stay so focused was not only his determination to finally best his old man, but also the support of the not-so-special friend who had gifted him with this seemingly insignificant memento.

"Nationals…. Oi, just how old is this thing?" Not even looking up from packing, Ryoma answered in his characteristically apathetic tone.

"Eight years." Hal very nearly dropped the ball. He'd never even known the guy to keep a racket for longer than a year. That he'd kept this one tennis ball for eight…

"You've had this thing for that long!" Ryoma grabbed the ball from Hal's hand and moved to toss it in the bag with the rest of his things but paused, running a finger along a seam that had come undone. Stupid old man, he knew exactly what this tennis ball meant to him, to use it so carelessly in his last match…

"It's nostalgic." Ryoma smiled ruefully; maybe the old man did know what he was doing some of the time.

"No kidding… Looks beat all to hell." Hal commented, pointing out the broken seam Ryoma had been fingering.

"It's not made well, cheapest quality there is. Busted after the first use." Ryoma shrugged nonchalantly, tossing the ball into the bag.

"Why don't you just have it remade?" It wasn't that he couldn't have it remade, he wouldn't. He still remembered how he had nearly panicked when the ball split against the wall of the park restrooms he had been wailing against after a particularly horrendous defeat. He hadn't even realized he had been using that particular ball until he went to throw it away, the big black lettering catching his attention and stilling his hand.

She had found it some time later stashed away in his tennis bag, seemingly amazed that he had kept it for as long as he had and offered to make him another one. He told her she could do what she wanted as long as he could keep that one. She seemed to understand, like she did with many other things, and offered to patch the broken one back up instead. All in all she had done a pretty good job, no doubt with a bit of help from Ryuzaki-sensei. Now it sat on his dresser as a memento of his time at Seigaku, and a certain pig-tailed girls support.

"No need," Ryoma stated, tossing the ball into the bag and zipping up the main compartment. He hefted the large back bag onto his shoulder. The rest of his things had been packed up when he'd sold his house and had already been shipped to his new home in Japan. All that remained of his life here in America was now packed neatly away in the black duffle bag slung over Ryoma's shoulder about to make it's way back home with the young tennis star.

"So that's it, huh? Not even gonna stick around for the press conference?" Ryoma closed his eyes and shook his head.

"We agreed that you would handle that," Ryoma said as he fished around in the drawer of the nightstand.

Hal glared at the man, shoving one hand on his hip as the other scratched agitatedly at the nape of his neck. "Yeah, yeah, leave me to get filleted while you go lounge about on a beach somewhere."

"I told you, I'm going home," Ryoma stated in an exasperated tone, closing the nightstand drawer and turning off the lamp. "I start my new job next week and there's something I have to take care of…"

"Well, I'd better head off to bed. It's gonna be a circus tomorrow. Have a safe flight," Hal waved as he turned to leave.

"Hal." The old manager turned back just in time to catch one of the items Ryoma had been searching around in the drawer of the nightstand for and had tossed to him.

"These are-!" Sitting in Hal's hand were the keys to the limited edition brand new Lotus Elise that Ryoma had won in the championship match.

"Don't think I'm going to be needing those." Ryoma smirked at the shocked look on Hal's face.

"Are you crazy? Do you have any idea how rare and valuable-" Ryoma only shrugged as he walked passed the stunned manager and into the hallway, Hal following after him in a stupor and letting the door swing closed.

"If you don't want it sell it. Doesn't really matter to me," Ryoma shot over his shoulder.

Hal's hands dropped to his sides in defeat. "You really are giving it all up…"

Ryoma turned his head back around to glance at Hal. "You say that like this is the end."

"Isn't it," Hal shrugged. "Just like twenty years ago, the greatest player of our time is leaving us…"

Ryoma glanced down briefly before turning back around. "It'll come again…"

"Huh?"

Ryoma lifted his eyes to the ceiling, as if staring at a sky only he could see. "A new player, even better than me or my old man."

"How do you know?" Hal asked, an almost hopeful tone to his ragged voice.

"That's just the way things are with my family," Ryoma cryptically replied, shooting Hal a small but knowing smile before heading off down the hall. "See ya, Hal; and thanks."

Hal watched Ryoma disappear down the hall and around the corner, unable to contain the sense of loss he felt as the prodigy walked away. Although, the words the young man had uttered still rang in the empty space now surrounding him. Visions and memories of Samurai Nanjiro and his abnormally gifted son danced in front of Hal's eyes as a giddy sense of anticipation crept up on the old manager.

'_A new generation Echizen, huh? That'll be something worth waiting for._'

...

"Ahh! I've missed this salty air!" Echizen 'Samurai' Nanjiro exclaimed as he stepped out of the doors that led into Narita Airport, stretching his stiff limbs from the eleven hour flight they'd taken from San Francisco to Tokyo.

"Oi, where do you think you're going?" Nanjiro shot over his shoulder at the young man that had followed him out of the airport, black duffle bag still flung over his shoulder and the other hand securely in his pocket. Echizen Ryoma didn't even spare his father a backward glance as he made his way toward the train station.

"I have something I need to take care of," was all he'd said before disappearing in the crowd of people flocking to and from the busy airport terminal.

Nanjiro huffed. "We just got back and he's already running off on his own...that brat!"

"Darling," a soft voice rang out from behind him and Nanjiro tossed a quick glance over his shoulder at his wife.

"Ah, Rinko-chan, huh?" Rinko rolled their suitcase out onto the walkway, looking left and right for her wayward son.

"Where is Ryoma?" Nanjiro shrugged.

"How should I know? The guy's a grown man after all. He doesn't need his folks smothering him now. You'll see him back at the house later...probably." Nanjiro smirked knowingly. He had a pretty good idea where the boy was headed. If he was right, Ryoma wouldn't be the only person they would be seeing at the house later….

"Probably? What do you mean probably?" Rinko asked, cocking her head to the side quizzically.

"If everything goes well that is!" Nanjiro exclaimed as he fell into a fit of giggles. '_That brat better not mess up!_'

...

Ryuzaki Sakuno stood in the kitchen of her grandmother's home, alone. Sumire had taken an impromptu vacation to the Caribbean after announcing her retirement from teaching at Seigaku; leaving Sakuno to take care of the house in her stead. Not that she minded. Her grandmother had been kind enough to allow her to stay at the house while she attended the community college. Her grades hadn't been good enough to earn her a university scholarship, and community college was all she could really afford at the moment.

She was attending some cooking and business classes, hoping to learn enough to successfully open a small cafe in the building she had been looking at around the block from Seigaku. She almost had enough money saved up from working with Tomoka at the magazine company. Just a couple more months of classes and she would have earned her certification.

Sakuno sighed wistfully as she stirred the soup on the stove, turning the burner off and placing the lid back on the pot. It was the times when she was alone like this that her mind tended to wander. More often than not the subject of her musings being a certain dark haired, dark eyed prince of the tennis world. Even after the two years since they'd graduated high school and he'd gone to America to become a professional tennis player, she still pined for him.

How pathetic was that?

A twenty year old woman pining after her middle school crush. After all, that's all it had been, wasn't it? They'd never actually stated that they were a couple. She'd even asked him once if he loved her. Though all she'd gotten in reply to that question was a cold shoulder from the prodigy as he walked away without a backward glance. She should have been over this by now. But every time it seemed as though she had forgotten about him, something, or someone, would pop up to bring it all back.

She'd given up trying after a while, settling with herself on the fact that she apparently would always be in love with the emotionally stunted tennis star. But that didn't mean that she had to wait for him. Sakuno had been on several dates since graduating high school; most of them group dates set up by Tomoka. Yet even though all of them had been very nice and likable, none of them had quite matched up to her Ryoma. Eventually even Tomoka had given up, stating that she was tired of wasting her time trying to find a stand in for Echizen Ryoma.

So Sakuno contented herself with being alone. Throwing herself into her school work and her research on her cafe. That, and of course, Ryoma's tournaments. A small smile touched Sakuno's lips at the thought. Yesterday he had finally achieved his first Grand Slam title. Perhaps the people who had been watching Ryoma's match with his father in the final round would have called it a mockery of the sport, but Sakuno could see. Both of them were thoroughly enjoying themselves.

She and Tomoka had nearly screamed themselves horse when he'd finally won. If there was one thing the girls still agreed on it was watching Ryoma play tennis. Tomoka would even record the matches Sakuno missed because of class and bring them over to watch on Sundays. Thanks to Tomoka, Sakuno had not missed a single match.

So caught up in her musings as she was, Sakuno nearly jumped out of her skin as the sound of the doorbell invaded the silence of the empty house.

"I wonder who that could be…?"

The bell rang again.

"I'm coming!" Sakuno called out, making her way hurriedly to the door. Of all the people Sakuno could have imagined showing up on her front door step in the middle of the afternoon, the face that greeted her on the other side of the door was not on the list. Sakuno's mouth dropped open.

"Yo, Ryuzaki," was all the tennis prodigy said, gazing amusedly at the startled girl through his bangs. Her hazel eyes widened and her mouth snapped shut with an audible click as he addressed her.

"Ryoma… You're back!" Sakuno's voice squeaked as her breath caught in her throat. Having him in such close proximity so suddenly after two years was playing merry hob with her senses so she was a little bit behind the curve.

"Aa," Ryoma confirmed, shifting his weight as he waited for her to get over her shock and catch up. Sakuno stammered and blinked in quick succession as if to assure herself that she wasn't looking at an aberration.

"W-what about the championship? Don't you have to be there to receive your trophy?" Sakuno asked.

Ryoma sighed and shoved his hands in his pockets, guiltily sliding his gaze to the side as he thought about Hal and the veritable storm he was about to unleash at the press conference. "It's already been taken care of."

Sakuno's mouth opened in an 'o' shape as she nodded. "Is that so… Ah! I'm so sorry! Please come in!"

Sakuno finally noticed that she'd had yet to invite the man in and stepped back to allow him to enter the house. Closing the door behind him, Sakuno nervously smoothed the front her her soft pink knee length skirt as she worried her bottom lip. It had been so long since she had been alone with him like this, she was unsure of how to act. Still a bit sluggish on the uptake, Sakuno just opened her mouth to offer him something to drink when Ryoma noticed the presentation on the dinning room table.

"Are you expecting company?"

Sakuno's gaze drifted over to the table and she blushed softly, nodding slightly and moving over in front of the table. She picked up a package from the end and turned back to him.

"Grandmother is out of town on vacation so I invited everyone over for dinner to celebrate your victory. We've all been cheering for you these past two years, Ryoma," Sakuno said, holding out the package to her childhood crush.

"What's this?" Ryoma asked as he took the package.

"A present. Congratulations on winning your first Grand Slam Tournament! And good luck with the rest of your career…" Sakuno trailed off, he gaze falling to the floor as her cheer nearly evaporated in an instant. Ryoma glanced at her out of the corner of his eye at her change in tone.

"You haven't heard…"

Sakuno glanced up at him and cocked her head to the side. "Eh? Heard what?"

A thoughtful look crossed Ryoma's face as he looked at the clock on the wall. "It should be about time. Ryuzaki, do you have the sports channels?"

"Of course!" Sakuno exclaimed, grabbing the remote from the armrest of the couch and turning on the TV. "I wouldn't have been able to watch your matches otherwise!"

"I see…" Ryoma motioned for Sakuno to hand him the remote and he changed the channel to the press conference that had just started.

"...Hal Peterson, manager for recent Grand Slam champion Ryoma Echizen is due to make an announcement regarding the future of the young super star! Oh, here he is now!" The Japanese translation for the American reporter scrolled along the bottom of the screen, not that he needed it. He moved aside to allow Sakuno a clear view of the TV screen as Hal came into view.

"Mr. Peterson, just what does Echizen plan to do now that he's won the grand slam title," the reporter fired off. Hal cleared his throat dramatically and took a deep breath.

"As of today, Ryoma Echizen will be leaving the tennis scene as a professional tennis player," Hal stated firmly. There was a brief moment of silence as the audience took a moment to assess the seriousness of the statement just before the room exploded with questions. Ryoma stiffened slightly at the tiny gasp Sakuno uttered as the translation rolled across the bottom of the screen.

"Mr. Peterson! Surely you can't be serious! Leaving the scene now would be career suicide! What has caused Echizen to make such a drastic decision," one reporters voice asked over the din of noise. Hal closed his eyes in thought before addressing the quieting mass of journalists.

"I asked of him this myself, two years ago in my office when he told me for the first time what he planned to do after he earned his first Grand Slam title. I've known the Echizen's for over twenty years now. I was there in the stands when Samurai Nanjirou first appeared on the scene, sweeping through the competition with the natural grace of a born player. And I was among the many who were shocked by his sudden disappearance from the tennis circuit. I didn't understand then, why such a powerful player would choose to quit just as his career was taking off. Now, after having been by his son Ryoma's side for the past two years; watching his determination and sheer willpower towards the game, do I think I've finally gained a bit of understanding as to why our greatest player of the time decided to leave. A new challenge. I believe Nanjirou saw then what all of us here witnessed on that court just a few hours ago; a potential to soar to even greater heights than he himself would be capable of. And it is my sincere belief that his son has found that new potential as well. Some may view this as the end of an era. I do not believe that to be the case. This, is only the beginning." Ryoma smirked as Hal punctuated the last phrase with a hard glance at the camera, almost as though he knew Ryoma would be watching.

"Mr. Peterson! You never answered the question about what Ryoma plans to do now," one of the reporters yelled as Hal started to walk away.

Hal turned back to the reporter and scoffed. "Hell, even I don't know that. But if I had to guess, I'd say he's gone back home."

The reporter shook her head, her recorder still stretched out as far as it would go. "Back home? What do you mean by that?"

Hall scratched his chin as a thoughtful look crossed his face. "I wonder? Ten years…maybe even fifteen-who knows? But I wouldn't be surprised to once again hear the name Echizen bouncing around the junior circuit. I'll be waiting-Ryoma, ne?"

Ryoma's eyes widened slightly before a small chuckle escaped him. He just shook his head; that man had always been a little too forward. Well, if nothing else, it served as a good ice breaker for what he was about to do next.

"Mr. Peterson-!" The sound from the television abruptly shut off as Ryoma hit the 'off' button on the remote, tossing the object onto the couch along with his still wrapped present. Sakuno was staring at him with wide, startled eyes.

"Ryoma…"

He averted his gaze and reached into his left jacket pocket, his hand closing around the singular item he'd stored there since he left his hotel room the previous night. "So, that's how it is."

"Then, does this mean…?" Sakuno trailed off.

Ryoma squared his shoulders and took a step forward, locking gazes with Sakuno. "Ne, Ryuzaki, do you remember what you said to me that time?"

"That time? Which one?" Sakuno blinked, taken aback by the intensity of his stare. She unconsciously found herself backing away from the predatory look in his eyes. She nearly jumped out of her skin when her back side touched the dining room table. She swallowed stiffly as he closed in on her.

"'If there's anything I can do to help you achieve your goals-'" Ryoma started. Sakuno's eyes widened as she remembered back.

"_I'll be your pillar of support, Ryoma-kun!"_

Sakuno's hands worried at the hem of her white cable sweater as she nodded. Her blood was pounding in her ears as her heart beat sped up, causing her breath to come out in small puffs. He was so close to her now. If she reached out her hand she could touch him. He took another step, invading her personal space as he leaned down to speak softly in her ear.

"Are you prepared to honor that promise, Ryuzaki Sakuno," Ryoma asked, his breath tickling her ear. Sakuno gasped as an electric shock raced up and down her spine, sending every nerve ending in her body tingling with electricity.

She swallowed again, and forced her voice to work. "Ryoma, I don't-"

She didn't get a chance to finish that thought as Ryoma slid down to one knee, pulling the small ring box he had been worrying in his pocket out for her to view. He snapped open the lid to reveal a single solitaire engagement ring nestled amidst dark silk encased in a black velvet sheath.

"After this point, there's no going back. I've laid everything on the line for this, Sakuno. Yes or no?"

Sakuno's hands flew to hear mouth in surprise. Not only had he just called her 'Sakuno' for the first time since they met at the train station when they were twelve; but here he was on one knee offering her the rest of his life with the most beautiful engagement ring she had ever seen.

This was so not how she had envisioned her afternoon going when she woke up this morning. It was all happening so fast it was almost too much to take in. The dream she had been chasing for upwards of six years was finally coming true right before her eyes. Tears stung at the edges of her vision as she stared down into a pair of familiar sincere orbs. Sakuno wiped her eyes with her sleeves as she sobbed.

"Mou, that's just like you! Using such underhanded tricks to make it so there's no possible way that I could say no!" Sakuno sniffled, smiling down at the man at her feet. "I wouldn't even if I could, you know?"

"Am I to take that as a yes?" Ryoma asked, cocking an eyebrow at the blushing brunette.

Sakuno giggled behind her hand and nodded her head in reply. Ryoma smirked and removed the ring from the box, snapping it closed and placing it on the table. He took Sakuno's left hand and slid the diamond into place on her ring finger. All of the sudden it felt like a giant weight had lifted off his shoulders at the sight of that ring securely in place. The most exhilarating sense of accomplishment surged though him and he realized that all of his experiences since he'd left for America two years ago had led him to this point. This was his future. As he looked into the smiling tear filled eyes of the woman he was going to marry, he had to admit; it had never looked brighter.

"It's not exactly the way I envisioned you proposing to me…. But I suppose you wouldn't be you otherwise!" Sakuno stated matter-of-factly as she stretched up onto her tip-toes and captured Ryoma's lips in a very chaste kiss. If Ryoma was shocked at Sakuno's sudden assertiveness, he covered it quickly, snaking an arm around her waist and pulling her deeper into his embrace as the kiss swiftly escalated in passion.

If was a full minute before he released her. Short of breath and blushing from the roots of her hair to the tips of her toes, it was all Sakuno could do to keep herself upright. Thank goodness Ryoma still had an arm wrapped around her waist or she would have surely been a pile of mush on the floor at the moment. Which was why she didn't notice the suddenly mischievous glint in her fiancé's eyes as he drank in her reaction.

"Now that that's settled," Ryoma bent down, lifting Sakuno up off the floor and tossing her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

"Ryoma!" Sakuno exclaimed with a squeak, quickly coming out of her stupor. "What are you-?"

If Ryoma paid her any heed, he didn't show it, taking the steps up to the second level where he knew her bedroom was two at a time. "I've got a lot of time to catch up on. You heard Hal, don't want to keep everyone waiting, do you?"

"B-but, we're not even married yet!" Sakuno stammered, clutching onto the back of his jacket for dear life.

Ryoma just shook his head, smirking to himself as he shot her his favorite little catch phrase, "Mada mada dane."

...

_~ Fin_

_..._

That's all folks! Thank you again for all the support and good thoughts, all reviews are greatly appreciated and serve to help me continue to elevate my writing style. I hope you all enjoyed the last chapter and will continue to support this fic!

Lucie


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